Which HAT (Help Authoring Tool) should I buy?

There are many Help Authoring Tools available and it be can be difficult to know which of them to use. Below you will find a summary of each tool, based on information from the vendors. They are all excellent tools, each with particular strengths.

RoboHelp X5

RoboHelp X5 is the latest version of Macromedia's Help-authoring software. New features include XML import/export, PDF import/export, content management, team-based authoring and support for JavaHelp 2.0. Compatibility for Word 2003 will be available in a service release for RoboHelp X5.

RoboHelp X5 can import existing XML content as well as export help content as XML. The software also supports the import and export of PDF content. The intelligent PDF import process renders PDF documents into their basic elements, such as text, images, and tables, each of which is independently editable after import for use in online Help. After a Help system has been created, it can be exported in print-ready PDF format.

RoboHelp X5's new content management features allow users to track what edits were made, when they were made, and by whom. At any time, any content can be rolled back to any moment in its history. The benefits of content management are increased when coupled with RoboHelp X5's new multi-author support, which features document check-in/check-out, document version comparison tools and support for remote authors.

XDK Professional

XDK Professional uses XML to gives you a great degree of control over how your online documents will look. It works as an integrated dynamic pane within Word, so you get all of Word's functionality. XDK can create multiple editions using different technologies and designs from one-source.

XDK's Table Of Contents technology automatically integrates into your online document to provide your readers with a hierarchical navigation tree. XDK also provides "topic Auto syncronisation and side entry". This means that as the user click on links and jumps around the document, the Table Of Contents will instantly update to show them where they are. XDK also makes context-sensitive links into standard HTML possible, because its technology allows direct entry into any point of your online document without causing errors with the Table Of Contents. XDK also has a powerful Dynamic Merging feature that will automatically aggregate multiple online documents. To the end user, the document appears as one seamless document, but as the author, you can break the project down into smaller chapters.

XDK Professional Service Pack 4 includes the following enhancements:

- New JavaHelp Compiler
- New Plain-HTML Table of Contents Compiler
- Improved import of HDK v3.1 through v3.4 projects

AuthorIT

AuthorIT is a single source documentation tool. Using AuthorIT, you can write information once, make changes in one place and maintain consistency. You can then use information in as many places as you want. It's the tool we use to produce this Web site.

Authors create pieces of re-usable pieces of information which are managed and maintained in a database and then published to many audiences, documents, and formats - both print and online. AuthorIT is a collaborative authoring tool where authors and other contributors work together as a team. It provides a multi-user environment with dynamic check-in and check-out, security control, standards control, version control, document release control, and integrated project and task management. You can also work offline - this means is you can work on your AuthorIT library outside the office when required.

Version 4.1 offers:

- A new rules-driven importer for bringing existing content into your project.
- A better editing environment. Tables, in particular, have been vastly improved.
- A new Generation module for creating the documents. As a result, generation
is faster.
- XML import and export
- Reduced localisation overhead of approximately 30%

WebWorks

WebWorks Publisher Professional enables you to quickly and easily convert FrameMaker documents into online delivery formats such as XML, XHTML and HTML. WebWorks Publisher WordHelp is the newest addition to the WebWorks product family. It offers single-sourcing to writers who use MS Word to develop content for online help.

WebWorks Publisher Professional 2003 offers new automated capabilities:
- New push-button deployment wizard
- Improved migration wizard
- Context-sensitive help designer
- New mapping interface
- Automatic TOC and index generation
- Automatic scaling and mapping of graphics

There are also new templates for Palm Reader, Fully 508 compliant WebWorks Help, Oracle Help, Dynamic HTML, HTML Help, and Microsoft Reader.

Epic

Epic is a suite of XML authoring tools for organisations that has large teams of authors, each working with large amounts of material that needs to be delivered to multiple audiences and disseminated in multiple forms.

The authoring software (Epic Editor) provides the following features:
- It provides a familiar word processing interface with support for change tracking, real-time spell
checking, multiple levels of undo, cut and paste, drag-and-drop editing, split screen views, multiple
windows and intuitive toolbars. Profiling helps authors create content that can be automatically
customized to specific audiences.
- It provides viewing, navigation and editing functions that are specific to structure.
- It can apply a stylesheet that gives the content a print or Web appearance.
- It lets authors insert only the tags that are valid at the current cursor position
(and it allows authors to see or hide tags).

Arbortext offers separate products for content conversion and publishing. The Enterprise E-Content Engine (E3) converts content to reusable XML components from Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker and Interleaf. It will accept valid XML content from any source. E3 publishes dynamic content to print/PDF and Web/wireless. To publish to CD-ROM, Arbortext offers the CD-ROM Composer.

http://cherryleaf.com